The City of Brampton has implemented significant increases to minor variance application fees, with hikes ranging from 300% to as much as 1,600%, as part of a broader strategy to deter illegal rental units and unpermitted property alterations.
The revised fee structure, which came into effect on January 1, 2025, raises some residential variance fees from $720 to $11,949. The changes were originally recommended in a staff report presented to council in December 2024, which cited full cost recovery for application processing as the main rationale.
However, Mayor Patrick Brown and several councillors say the move is also a response to the city’s long-standing challenge with illegal rooming houses and rental units. Speaking during recent council and media appearances, Mayor Brown emphasized that the increased fees aim to discourage non-compliant property modifications that often contribute to overcrowded housing and compromised neighborhood standards.
“We’re having a crackdown on slum landlords in Brampton,” said Mayor Brown during an appearance on Newstalk 1010’s The Jim Richards Show. “If someone wants to build a fence or a deck, no problem — we’ll keep that easy and affordable. But we’re not going to keep subsidizing rooming houses.”
Wards 3 and 4 Councillor Dennis Keenan echoed this sentiment during council’s May 14 meeting, noting that the new fees serve as a deterrent for those attempting to bypass zoning bylaws. “Before, people were treating the old $700 fee like a slap on the wrist. Now, they face a $12,000 fee and might still be denied approval,” Keenan stated.
Not all members of council support the steep increases. Councillors Michael Palleschi (Wards 2 and 6) and Gurpartap Singh Toor (Wards 9 and 10) have expressed opposition and called for the issue to be revisited. During an April 23 committee meeting, multiple residents voiced concerns about the financial burden of the new fees, with one applicant, Dhamotharan Deiveegan, describing the increase as “unprecedented and disproportionate.”
For comparison, the City of Toronto charges $2,126.48 for minor variance applications involving properties with fewer than three units.
Despite the criticism, the new policy has also garnered support. Brampton resident Kathleen McDermott told council during a May 12 meeting that the changes are long overdue and ensure that applicants — not taxpayers — bear the cost of non-standard property changes. “We have been massively subsidizing this process. The new fee structure helps ensure fair cost recovery,” she said.
To address specific concerns, Deputy Mayor Harkirat Singh introduced a motion, which council passed, directing city staff to explore potential exemptions or reduced fees in special cases, such as accessibility-related home modifications.
The City of Brampton’s crackdown on illegal rentals also includes the Residential Rental Licensing (RRL) pilot program, which is being rolled out alongside the fee changes to strengthen bylaw enforcement and improve housing standards across the city.